Draco Malfoy: Wedding Planner Extraordinaire
by HufflepuffMommy
Summary: Draco Malfoy is London's most wanted wedding planner. One day he meets the girl of dreams, only to find out she's the fiance of his new client. Dramione Muggle AU take on the movie The Wedding Planner. Written for the New Year. New Mood board fest.
1. Chapter 1

_**Happy New Year my lovely readers! This short story is written for the New Year, New Mood Board fest (hosted on AO3). I had already wanted to write a story like this and when I saw this mood board I just knew it would fit in nicely. It will follow most of the same plot from the move The Wedding Planner, with my own personal twists.**_

_**Both the Harry Potter Universe and The Wedding Planner are not owned by me, I'm just borrowing them for my creativity.**_  
_**Love and thanks to NuclearNik for both hosting this fest AND being my wonderful Beta!**_

* * *

There were three things that Draco Malfoy always knew to be true.

The first was that his family was rich—they lived in a manor that boasted over ten bedrooms, and he went to a prestigious private school that only the wealthy could afford.

The second was that both of his parents were hard-working individuals: his father was a political advisor and consultant to those with power, and his mother was a prominent party planner within London.

The third was that he knew he wanted to follow in his mother's footsteps.

When Draco was ten years old, his mother dragged him to work one afternoon—he had feigned a stomachache to get out of going to school—there was a test in social studies that day, a subject he loathed—and his mother had an important meeting with a client. Not trusting just anyone with her only child, Narcissa Malfoy decided to take young Draco to work with her.

He made sure to have his Nintendo Game Boy and iPod to keep him entertained, thinking that a day in an office where parties were planned was going to be absurdly boring.

Narcissa had other plans though. She set Draco in a chair next to her and made him take notes on the meeting.

Draco grumbled at first but did as he was told after his mother gave him a stern look that left no room for argument.

What he learned that day set the foundation for his own company that he would open nearly ten years later.

Now, at twenty-five years old, Draco Malfoy was the best and most coveted wedding planner in London.

And he was damn good at his job, if he did so say so himself—which he did with chance he got.

His job kept him busy year-round, and he loved it. His parents, however, had been starting to worry that he would never settle down and get married. They were getting older after all, and they wanted to be able to enjoy any grandchildren he could give them.

Such was the case one morning as Draco sat at his parent's large dining table, having come over for their weekly Sunday brunch. He barely listened to his mother as she talked—nagged, really—about him finding a suitable woman to settle down with.

"Mother," he said with a sigh. "I'm only twenty-five. I have plenty of time to find someone and settle down. Right now, business is at an all-time high, and my focus and priority is my job."

"But—" his mother argued, just before she was interrupted by Draco's father, Lucius.

"Let him alone, Cissy," he said to his wife. "After all, it's not his fault that he has such a great work ethic; he got that from the two of us," he said with a wink.

Narcissa huffed. "We were able to continue our careers while starting a relationship," she pointed out. She took a tiny nibble of her toast. "As it is, I've arranged for a friend—and her _daughter_—to come by for tea later today."

"Mother, you didn't…." Draco grumbled under his breath.

"I did. And you will be a proper gentleman. Astoria Greengrass is a very nice young lady and I think you two would hit it off," she said with a nod of finality.

Draco sighed once more. "Whatever you say, Mother."

* * *

Tea with the Greengrass' went well enough. Astoria was nice and fairly pretty, but Draco found that she was rather quiet when he tried to make conversation. With both sets of parents in the same room and being none-too-subtle about them hitting it off, he supposed it really wasn't Astoria's fault; the whole ordeal was rather uncomfortable. After they left, his mother encouraged him to make plans with the young lady and wouldn't let him leave the house until he promised to do so.

As he drove away from the Manor and back to London, Draco was once again thankful that he moved out and into his own flat.

The next day, Draco exited his favorite deli shop with a sandwich in his hand when his bluetooth headset rang in his ear.

"Hello. Malfoy speaking." Upon hearing his associate and friend on the other line, Draco smiled to himself as he bit into his sandwich. "Ah, Blaise! Good to hear from you. Were you able to book that appointment with the new client...what was the name...Weasel? Ah, yes, Weasley. Tomorrow at two? Sounds great. Send the details to my email, and I'll look over their information before then."

As he hung up and pulled out his phone to check his email, he didn't notice the bike turning the corner at the same time. He heard a shout of surprise and the last thing he saw was a pair of brown eyes and curly, chestnut hair before he blacked out.

* * *

Draco woke with a start, sitting up quickly. He immediately shut his eyes at the bright lights and groaned when his head pounded at his sudden movement.

"Oh!" said a voice next to him. "Please lie down. You had a nasty fall."

Small, warm hands gently pushed on his shoulder until he complied and his head rested back against a pillow.

"Where am I?" he asked, slowly opening his eyes. If he didn't look straight up at the harsh fluorescent lights, it didn't hurt as much. He turned his head in the direction of the voice from moments ago, and his breath caught in his chest.

She was beautiful. With chestnut hair in tight ringlets that framed her face, chocolate eyes, and a dusky complexion, Draco had never seen anyone quite like her. So engrossed he was in her appearance that he didn't realize she was talking to him. He had to shake his head slightly to regain his focus before saying, "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?"

She looked at him, brows knit together and a little crease appearing on her forehead, and spoke again. "I said that you're in a medical room at my pediatric clinic. You had a nasty fall and it was closer to bring you here than to any other medical facilities. You hit your head on the concrete just a few doors down, and I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Oh…" He turned his neck to get a better look at her when he realized he could barely move it. He moved his hands to his neck and discovered there was a brace around it. "Did I.. did I break my neck?" he asked, trying to stay calm.

"Oh! No, you didn't. It was just precautionary," she said, shifting his fingers to the side so that she could undo the clasps in the back.

"It feels rather small," he commented. Once the brace was off, he moved his neck slowly from side to side.

"Yes, well, this is a paediatric clinic. I'm afraid most of my clientele is rather small," she said teasingly.

Draco couldn't help but smile. "I suppose that's true. So, do you know how exactly I fell? I really don't remember much…"

The woman bit her lip nervously. "It was my fault, really. I was riding my bicycle on the sidewalk— I know I shouldn't have, but there was some blockage on the street so I was hoping to avoid it by using the sidewalk. By the time I turned the corner and saw you, it was too late. I bumped into you, and then you fell and hit your head. I really am terribly sorry."

"I'm okay, right? No broken bones or anything of the sort?"

"No. Just a nasty bump on the back of your head and a slight concussion," she said, once again biting her lip.

Draco shrugged as he sat up and turned to face her. "Then everything's good." He stuck out his hand towards her. "Thank you for taking care of me, Doctor…?" he raised an eyebrow in question.

"Granger. Um, I'm Dr. Granger," she said, shaking his hand lightly.

He flashed her a smile. "Thank you, Dr. Granger."

"You're welcome, though there's really no need to thank me. I was just doing my job after injuring you," she said with a laugh.

"That _is _true," he said, rubbing his chin in thought. "Might I be able to persuade you into making it up to me by meeting for coffee later? I know this bistro down the street and—"

"I'm very sorry, but I have a full day of appointments that I must get to," Dr. Granger interrupted. "If you'll stop by the reception desk, Ginny will see you out."

Draco watched as Dr. Granger gathered her charts and nearly bumped into the doorframe on the way out, clearly flustered. If he didn't know better, he would have thought he scared her off.

Chuckling, he gathered his things and made his way to the front desk, spotting another woman with long, auburn hair. "Ginny?" he asked.

She glanced up at him and smiled. "Ah, the mystery man. Good to see you up and about. Hermione was nearly hysterical when she brought you in."

"Hermione?" he questioned, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed.

"Dr. Granger, I mean. She flagged down another person to help get you here and into the examination room. She was convinced you'd sue her for everything she's worth."

Draco frowned. "Why would I do that? It was an accident."

"Well, I mean, can you blame her? Have you seen yourself lately?" she asked, motioning to his clothes.

Draco looked down at his business suit. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Oh, nothing at all. It's just that your attire reeks of money—which is all anyone cares about these days—and if you _did _decide to sue, it would certainly take a toll on her clinic. It's is her pride and joy, I might add."

Draco opened his mouth to say something but Ginny waved him off. "No matter. She'll be glad to hear you won't be pressing charges. Anyway, I happened to overhear you ask her to coffee. She's not much of a coffee drinker, but she does like movies. Especially when they're playing at the local park on Monday nights," Ginny informed, tossing him a wink.

Draco smiled. "I see. I'll keep that in mind. Do I need to do anything to check out?"

Ginny handed him a clipboard, and he signed off in the proper areas.

She took the board back and glanced at it before her eyes widened in shock. "Malfoy? As in _the _Draco Malfoy, wedding planner extraordinaire?"

He grinned and gave a nod. "The one and only. You have a good day, Ginny. Take care of that pretty doctor of yours."

Draco stepped outside onto the busy streets of London once more. He needed to stop by his office for a bit, but later he had a movie in the park he had to check out—and hopefully see a gorgeous doctor as well.

* * *

_**Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think so far in the comments! This will be a multi-chapter fic, maybe 3-4 total. Stay tuned for the next chapter which will hopefully be ready within the week!**_  
_**Happy New Year everyone! xoxoHufflepuffMommy**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thank you all for your wonderful responses to Chapter 1! Here's the next chapter and yes, it's rather small (sorry!) but I'm hoping to knock out chapter 3 for you guys soon. Hope you enjoy! xoxoHufflepuffMommy**_

* * *

Draco changed out of his suit and into something more casual—a pair of khaki slacks and dark blue collared shirt. He did a quick Google search and found out that the movie in the park started at seven, so he made his way over to the area a little before then in hopes of spotting Dr. Ganger.

Nearly a half hour passed before he finally spotted her. He had been worried that she wasn't going to show—the weather had turned cloudy just before the movie started—and he was relieved to see that she still come.

He watched as she leaned against a large tree, digging through a bag of M&M's and eating only a certain color. As he approached her, he made himself known by clearing his throat, which caused her to yelp in surprise and drop her bag of treats.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," he said, lifting his hands in surrender all the while trying not to chuckle.

She looked up with a glare which quickly morphed into surprise. "Oh! Um, hello. I didn't know you came to this event too..."

Draco leaned against the tree next to her. "It's actually my first time. I saw a flier and decided that since I didn't have any plans, I would check it out." The lied slipped out easily. He watched as she stuffed her nearly empty bag of M&M's back in her purse. "Would you like me to get you more candy? I feel bad that you dropped yours because of me."

Hermione waved him off. "It's fine. I think I ate all the red ones anyway. Those ones are the best," she said, grinning knowingly at him.

Draco returned the grin. "I always thought they tasted the same."

She wagged a finger at him. "That's what they want you to think. But I swear they taste different—especially the red ones."

Draco chuckled and shook his head before extending his hand to her. "I'm Draco, by the way."

She gave him a wide smile and shook his hand lightly. "Hermione."

* * *

They talked easily as they watched the movie. Draco learned that Hermione and her family traveled all over the world when she was a child, and it wasn't until she was eleven that her parents finally decided to plant some roots in London. She went to a public school not too far from where she lived and one of her best friends, Harry something-or-another, was actually hailed a hero at the age of seventeen for stopping a psychotic murderer—apparently it was a 'right-place-right-time' situation, but he still stopped the guy nonetheless. Her other best friend, Ginny, worked with her at her pediatric clinic.

"Ah yes, Ginny. She's a spitfire, isn't she?" Draco asked as he offered Hermione some popcorn he had purchased from a local vendor.

She graciously took some as she nodded. "That she is. She's amazing, though. Her whole family is, actually…" She trailed off as she watched the movie and sighed wistfully as the two main characters on screen began to dance.

Draco glanced at her, then at the screen, and back at her again before he set down his bag of popcorn and stood in front of her, hand out for her to take.

She gave him a quizzical look. "What are you doing?"

"Would you care to dance?" he asked, flashing her a charming smile.

Hermione blushed as she chuckled softly. "Don't be silly—we're supposed to be _watching _a movie, not dancing along with it."

"And why not?" he countered playfully. "If were at a theatre, then true, we'd have to sit and watch. But being at the park doesn't mean we can't dance."

Hermione bit her lip as she contemplated his words, looking between his still-offered hand and his face. Finally, she gave a small nod and accepted his hand, following along as Draco started twirling her around the grass.

Hermione's laugh as he spun her in and out of his arms was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. When the song was done, he pulled her towards him again, both of them breathless from their dancing. His eyes flicked back and forth between hers before flicking down to her lips. He felt her take a small breath, and he was just about to lean down and kiss her when the skies opened up, and they got pummeled with large rain drops falling from above.

The rain seemed to startle her, and she quickly moved from his embrace. "Sorry, I…. I have to go," she said as she walked quickly to where her things were located.

As she pulled out an umbrella from within the confines of her purse, Draco stepped up next to her. "Let me at least escort you—"

"I'm fine, thank you. I had a fun time tonight, but I… I need to get going," she said quickly. She turned and walked in the opposite direction as Draco stood there confused about what just happened. Frowning, he turned around to walk towards his vehicle. It was only when he was nearly home that he realised he never asked for her number.

* * *

The following day was filled with meetings for the young wedding planner. The first two were for clients whose weddings were coming up; Draco needed to work on the final details before the big day.

His third meeting was with a new client, and honestly, those were his favorite. He enjoyed getting to know the couple and figuring out the best way to plan their wedding.

He was setting up his office with binders full of examples when Blaise knocked on his open door.

"Hey mate, your two o'clock is here," he informed.

"Thanks Blaise, can you show them to my office?"

With a nod from his friend, Draco finished setting out the tea and sandwiches when a tall man with freckled skin and red hair walked in.

"You must be Ron Weasley," Draco said with a friendly smile, extending his hand to the gentleman.

Ron smiled widely back and shook Draco's hand enthusiastically. "Yup, that's me! You're Draco, right?"

"The one and the same. Care to take a seat? Can I offer you some tea or sandwiches?" he asked.

"Wicked, thanks," Ron said happily as he sat down. He took one of the triangle sandwiches and stuffed it in his mouth as he looked around the office. "This place is amazing. I still can't believe I'm here. My sister says you're the best in London… Is that true?"

"That's what the magazines keep saying," Draco said with a chuckle as he picked up his notepad to start taking notes. He found the best way to get to know his clients was just to let them talk and ask more detailed questions later. "So, tell me about you and," he glanced down at the information he had written down, "Mione, is it? How long have you been engaged?"

Ron rubbed his stubbled chin in thought. "It's been about five years now. I know that's a long time for an engagement but we're both not in any hurry. She has her own business, and I'm helping out my brother at his shop. I've known her since we were about twelve, though. We were friends for a while before we started going out and about five years later I asked her to marry me. It just seemed like the right thing to do, you know? Anyway, like I said, it's been nearly five years, and my mum thinks it's high time we finally make things official, so… Here we are!" he said, chuckling.

Draco grinned and nodded. "Sounds great. Will your fiancée be joining us then?"

"Yeah, she just had to use the loo," Ron said, stuffing another sandwich in his mouth before craning his neck to look out the door. "In fact, here she comes now."

Draco nodded as he continued to look down at his notepad. It wasn't until he heard her walk in, apologizing for holding up the meeting, that he finally looked up, surprised to see Dr. Hermione Granger enter the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Draco blankly stared as Hermione bent over to quickly kiss Ron on the cheek. When she straightened up to finally look his way, he saw how she froze ever-so-slightly.

Schooling his features, Draco offered his hand to her. "Pleasure to meet you. 'Mione, is it?" he asked with a quirked brow.

Relaxing her shoulders slightly, Hermione took his hand and gave it a gentle shake. "Hermione, actually. Ron just likes to use that nickname so much that I think he's forgotten my actual name," she said with a nervous titter.

Ron blushed slightly and scratched the back of his head. "I didn't forget, I'm just not used to using it."

"Well, why don't we start planning this wedding?" he said with a wide, fake smile. He rounded his desk and sat down, placing his notebook in front of him.

"What date were you thinking?" he asked.

"January seventeenth," Ron responded automatically.

"Ah, so a winter wedding," Draco commented as he wrote down the information. "Do you have a location in mind for a venue?"

"We were hoping you'd be able to help with that," Hermione said, biting her lip and looking at him nervously.

Draco gave a nod and said, "I have a few places that I like to use in the winter time. I'll give you both brochures to go over, and we can make arrangements to visit them. It's a little more than seven months until the date you want, so we'll need to pick a place soon and start working on your Save-the-Date announcements. Which I have right here," he pointed to a soft-blue binder, "with samples for you to choose from."

* * *

Nearly an hour later, the couple had picked out their Save-the-Date announcements, wedding invitations, and wedding colors: ivory, light blue, and dark blue.

When Ron stepped out to answer his cell phone, Hermione and Draco sat in silence while he arranged the binder that he created for them while taking notes on his laptop to send to them.

"Draco, I—" Hermione started.

"Does your fiancé know you like to flirt and dance with other men at the park? Or was I just a special case?" he asked, finally looking her in the eye.

Her cheeks reddened, whether from embarrassment or anger, he wasn't sure. Draco shook his head and went back to his work.

"For your information—" she said in a harsh whisper.

_So anger it was_, he thought to himself.

"—I wasn't flirting with you. I was being friendly. And _you're _the one who asked _me _to dance."

"You could have said no. Or that you had a fiancé, and it would be inappropriate," he stated. She went to open her mouth but he waved her off. "It's fine. I guess I just got my signals crossed. It won't happen again."

"Good," she said with a nod of finality.

Ron entered the room again, ignorant of the tension that filled the space. "Hey, 'Moine? We need to head out. George needs my assistance at the shop." He looked up at Draco and extended his hand. "It was great meeting you."

Draco stood and shook the man's hand. "Same to you. Email me the venues you want to visit and either I or my colleague, Blaise, will take you to check them out."

Hermione stood and gave Draco a curt nod. "We'll be sure to do so. Come on, Ron, let's get you to the shop while I look at these brochures."

Once they were gone, Draco sat down in his chair with a huff, running both hands through his hair as he hung his head and groaned.

"Tough meeting?" Blaise asked.

Draco looked up and saw his friend leaning against the doorframe.

"No, it went well enough. They knew a lot of what they wanted already which is helpful," he said with a sigh.

"Then what's got you all worked up?" Blaise asked with a concerned frown, moving into the office to sit in one of the seats across from Draco.

"You remember that woman I met the other day? The doctor?" At his friend's nod, he continued. "That was her."

Blaise's eyes widened in shock. "Your new client?"

"Yup," Draco said, enunciating the word with a pop.

"Are you going to keep them on as clients?"

"I don't know mate… I mean, I know I only saw her twice, but both of those times I thought we had a connection. Turns out we do, it's just work-related," he grumbled.

"Well, let me know if you want me to take over, but I think you should stick with it," Blaise said as he stood. "Hey, I'm meeting Theo for drinks at The Cauldron, if you want to come?"

Draco waved him off absently. "Maybe another time. I have some work to do here."

With a farewell from his friend, Draco looked back down at all his notes. He set to work putting the information into a customized database, making sure to send a copy to both Ron and Hermione for their confirmation.

As he stood from his desk and stretched his arms above his head, he heard the distinct sound of heels clicking on the tile floor. Moments later, Astoria appeared in his doorway.

"Knock, knock," she said quietly, rapping her knuckles softly against his door. "I was in the neighbourhood and was wondering if you wanted to grab some dinner? Perhaps this time without our parents in the same room?" she asked hopefully.

Draco gave her a soft smile and nodded. "Dinner sounds great. Give me five minutes?"

Astoria nodded and left for the waiting area. Draco checked his email, hoping that Hermione had responded. When nothing showed up, he shut his laptop with a snap, berating himself for being hopeful of a taken woman's response.

Squaring his shoulders, he left his office—and his thoughts of Hermione—behind as he went to dinner with a willing—and _single—_woman.

* * *

Three days later found Draco driving both Hermione and Ron to one of the venues from their list. Ron's parents, Molly and Arthur, were to meet them there for the tour which was to be done by horseback, seeing as the venue's property was expansive. The drive to the venue was a quiet affair, with Ron in the backseat texting his brother the whole time and Hermione pointedly ignoring Draco, choosing instead to stare out the window from the front passenger seat.

Clearing his throat, Draco finally broke the silence. "So, have you two decided on your song for your first dance as husband and wife?" he asked.

"Not yet," Hermione answered with a sigh, finally turning her head to look at him. "Why? Do you have suggestions?"

"As a matter of fact," he pulled out a CD case from beneath his seat, "I do. Why don't you flip through those and maybe you'll find one that works."

Hermione looked through the selection while Ron peered over her shoulder.

"What about that one?" Ron asked, pointing to one of the CD's.

"'Honestly I Love You' by Olivia Newton-John," Hermione read. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "No…. What about 'At Last' by Etta James? I know your family would love that song for us," she said, chuckling as she turned the CD case to the next page.

"My mum used to tell me that she could always tell how long a marriage will last based on their wedding song," Draco said. Both Hermione and Ron turned to him and stared at him quizzically, so he continued. "For example, if a couple chose 'All of Me' by John Legend, she expected a marriage of at least thirty years. With 'Honestly I Love You,' she would predict fourteen months, while 'At Last' was thirty years."

"Interesting," Hermione mused, glancing back at the selections. "Were there any songs she deemed to predict a lasting, fulfilling marriage? Or will nothing be good enough to expect a marriage to last?" Hermione queried. Draco noted a hint of mocking in her tone.

With a slight grin, he answered, "'Making Memories of Us' by Keith Urban. _That's_ the song she deemed to mean an everlasting marriage," Draco said, glancing at Hermione and raising a brow.

"We should do that one," Ron said with a nod. A ping from his phone caught his attention, and he went back to texting.

"Honestly, it's just silly," Hermione huffed.

"What is?" Draco asked as he pulled into the parking lot.

"That a song will predict how long a marriage will last. Utterly preposterous." She closed the CD case and zipped it back up, handing it back to him. "Thank you for your suggestions, but we'll just choose something on our own."

Draco took the case and slipped it back under his seat. "Whatever you say, Princess," he muttered.

Hermione glared at him and crossed her arms, turning her head to look out her window once more.

* * *

Draco left Hermione and Ron outside to wait for the elder Weasleys while he checked them in for their tour. When he made his way back outside, he heard a familiar voice call out to him.

"Draco! Is that you?" Astoria walked quickly over to him, a wide smile on her face.  
"Astoria?" he asked, surprised to see her. "What are you doing here?"

When she reached him, Astoria went on her toes to kiss his cheek. "Mother needed me to talk to the owner about their wine shipment. Apparently they ordered a hundred cases but only received half."

Draco had momentarily forgotten that the Greengrasses were known for their own wine company. "Everything all sorted out then?" he asked.

Astoria looped her arm through his as they walked back to the parking area. "Yes, thankfully. So, what are you doing here?"

Before Draco had a chance to answer, Hermione walked up to the pair. "Sorry to interrupt, but Ron's parents are here," she said, looking at Draco before shifting her gaze to the petite blond next to him. "And who do we have here?"

"This is—"

"I'm Astoria, Draco's girlfriend," Astoria said, beaming up at him before looking at Hermione. "And you are…?"

"Hermione Granger. Your boyfriend," she put emphasis on the word while staring at Draco, "is my wedding planner. We're here to check out the venue."

"Oh, you will simply _love _it here!" Astoria gushed. "Well, I better get back to the office before Mother starts calling and wondering where I am. Draco, dinner tomorrow?" she asked hopefully.

Draco cleared his throat. "Um, yeah, sure."

"Great!" Astoria kissed his cheek again before leaving him with Hermione, turning to wave once more before getting into her car.

Both Draco and Hermione lifted a hand to wave back and Hermoine muttered under her breath. "You have all the nerve…" She turned to face him. "How _dare _you make me feel bad for, well, whatever it was that happened at the park, when _you_ have a girlfriend."

"Look, Hermione—"

"Don't bother. Now, if you're done using _our _time to meet up with your little girlfriend, I think it's time we check out this _lovely _venue."

She stomped back over to where Ron and his parents waited next to a blue Ford Anglina, and Draco sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. He really needed to talk to Astoria, because while she was a nice enough girl, she was most definitely _not _his girlfriend.

Plastering on a smile, he made his way to the group and got ready for another few hours with the brunette shooting daggers his way.

* * *

_**I just wanted to add that I do not—in any way, shape, or form—believe the theories behind the songs and how long a marriage will last lol I actually took this information from an interview with the writer of the movie The Wedding Planner. **_  
_**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Chapter 4 might be soon either today or tomorrow as well ;) xoxoHufflepuffMommy**_


	4. Chapter 4

"So, darling, how are things going between you and Miss Greengrass?" Narcissa asked at brunch the following Sunday.

Draco glanced up, fork halfway to his mouth. "Well enough, I suppose."

His mother flashed him a smile as he took his bite of food. "So, does that mean there will possibly be wedding bells in the future?"

Draco nearly choked on his eggs. "Mother!"

"Cissa, please."

"What?" she asked, looking innocently between her son and husband. "I'm only asking because this has been the first girlfriend you've had since—"

"I know how long it's been Mother. Thank you," Draco interrupted, wiping his mouth with a cloth napkin and tossing it on his plate, his appetite now lost. "Besides, Astoria is _not _my girlfriend. We've gone out to dinner twice, but that doesn't mean we're in a relationship."

Narcissa frowned. "But Guenivere said that Astoria was gushing about how swimmingly things are going with you two. We were hoping you would hit it off and—"

"Trust me, I know _exactly _what you two have been thinking," Draco growled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Draco, don't use that tone with your mother," Lucius said warningly.

Ignoring his father, Draco looked to his mother again. "Why are you in such a hurry to marry me off? Can't you just be happy for me about where my life is right now?"

"Oh, Draco," Narcissa said, placing one of her manicured hands over his. "Darling, _of course_ I'm happy that you're happy. But you're halfway to your thirties and soon all the eligible women will be taken."

"Mother, there are literally thousands of women in London—"

"Yes, well, not ones that are like us though," she said primly.

Draco narrowed his eyes. "Meaning?"

"Meaning that there are only a select few women within our circle, and you should be thinking about grabbing one up before you're stuck with a commoner like a bookstore clerk or a… a teacher or something."

Draco's mind immediately thought of curly hair and large, brown eyes. "And what would be so wrong with that? Marrying a 'commoner', as you put it?"

Narcissa sighed. "I just mean that you're used to a certain lifestyle. Your partner, your wife, and the mother of your children should also be in such a way."

Draco looked between his mother and father, disbelieving what he was being told.

"I don't have time for this," he stated, scooting his chair back and standing. "I have _actual _work to do, so, like always, it was a pleasure having brunch. I'll see you next week."

He rounded the table, kissed his mother's cheek, sent a nod to his father, and quickly walked towards the entryway.

"So, what's her name?"

Draco sighed and cursed himself as he turned to face his father who had followed him from the table. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't give me that rubbish, Draco. I'd like to think I know my son better than that," Lucius said, raising a brow.

Draco grumbled and sat down on a bench seat near the door. His father joined him and waited patiently next to him.

"It doesn't matter," Draco said finally.

"And why not? If you like this girl, you should go for it. Don't let your mother—"

"She's one of my clients," Draco stated, finally looking at his father.

"Oh… Well, that's… unfortunate," Lucius said, frowning before giving Draco a stern look. "You should know better than that, son. If word got out, it could be damaging for your career."

"It's not like I did it on purpose! Besides, when I met her, I didn't know she was engaged and she surely didn't say anything. And now," he chuckled lowly, "I'm helping her plan their wedding."

"I see," Lucius said, shifting in his seat slightly to look at his son. "So tell me then, why are you so adamant about not dating Miss Greengrass? Are you hoping this other girl will call things off?"

"No, I just… I don't really know. I don't feel a connection with Astoria."

"But you did with this other girl?"

"I thought I did. Apparently I was wrong," Draco said, standing again.

"Draco…"

Draco looked to his father. "Like I said, it doesn't matter anymore. I'll see you next week." He opened the door to walk out, but not before looking over his shoulder at his father once more. "And she's a doctor. I'd say that's a pretty good profession for a _commoner_."

As he walked to his car, his phone pinged, and he glanced at it as he entered the vehicle.

_**Ron**__: Hey, bad news. I have to go out of town for about two weeks for work. Will it be alright if just you and 'Mione go to the next venue without me? _

_**Draco**__: Sure, no problem._

Draco groaned as he rested his head on the steering wheel.

These next two weeks were going to be hell.

* * *

"We need to talk," Hermione said as she walked into his office the next day.

Draco lifted a brow. "Okay." He walked around his desk and leaned against it casually. "What would you like to discuss, Miss Granger?"

"I wanted to say I'm sorry," she stated. "For the whole park, uh, incident. I should have told you I was engaged, and I most definitely shouldn't have danced with you. It sent the wrong message and for that, I really am sorry."

Draco dipped his chin in a single nod. "Thank you. And I should apologize too. My behaviour as your wedding planner hasn't been very professional. I apologise."

This time, Hermione raised a brow. "But not about the fact that you have a girlfriend and were still very clearly flirting with me?"

Draco chuckled and shook his head. "Astoria is not my girlfriend. We went out to dinner a few times, yes, but that's it."

Hermione bit her lip as she blushed and averted her eyes. "Oh.."

Draco pondered her for a moment, before straightening up. "Let's start over." He held out his hand. "Hello, I'm Draco Malfoy, wedding planner extraordinaire. And you are?"

Hermione grinned at him as she shook his hand. "Hermione Granger, pediatric specialist and currently engaged to my long-time boyfriend."

"Note taken," he said, giving her a wink. "So, are you ready to go check out this next venue?"

She smiled widely. "Absolutely."

* * *

Draco and Hermione walked around the path that lead them through the gardens of The Zetta Townhouse. Making sure to keep enough space between them, he stayed silent as she looked around the property with awe.

"This place is beautiful," Hermione finally commented. She glanced at him and nibbled her lip. "And you're sure Ron and I can afford this place?"

Draco gave a small, reassuring smile. "If you were planning a summer wedding, I would say no. But they drop their prices during the winter as they aren't nearly as busy."

"I see... And you've verified that the date we want is available, right?"

"Of course. Does this mean you've made your final choice?" Draco asked.

Taking one last look around, Hermione smiled and nodded. "Yes. Let's go book it."

When they stepped out of the office a half-hour later, venue booked and security deposit paid, Draco glanced at his watch.

"Well, since we're done so early, what do you think about setting up your wedding registry? We can start it today, and then you can bring Ron when he comes back to add more if needed."

Hermione grinned. "I'll never say no to a shopping trip—especially where I'm not actually buying anything. Lead the way!"

* * *

Registry shopping was always Draco's least favourite part of his wedding planner duties. Usually, he would help the couple start off the process, then go to a nearby coffee shop until they were done, or simply go back to the office if they drove themselves.

With Hermione, though, he didn't feel like this was a chore at all; in fact, he was actually having a good time. She would ask his opinions about certain brands or colours and took his comments into consideration.

"We don't need much," she explained as she scanned a vase, adding it to her registry. "We've lived together for nearly six years and have most things. But some are in need of replacing and others are things we've been meaning to buy but just haven't yet."

When they passed the department store's book section that was set up as its own little store, Draco could sense her yearning to stop and take a look.

"Let's take a break," he suggested, guiding her into the book store area. "I'll grab us something to drink. Any preference?"

Already heading towards the books, Hermione nodded and said, "An iced coffee, please."

Shaking his head in amusement, Draco went up to the small bistro counter and ordered two beverages.

With drinks in hand, Draco took a seat at one of the small, round tables and pulled out his phone to check his emails and messages from his other clients.

"Draco? Draco Malfoy is that you!?"

The familiar, girlish voice sent dread to the pit of his stomach. Looking up, he saw _her_.

Pansy Parkinson.

His first crush.

His first girlfriend.

His first love.

His first… everything.

She looked the same, he noted, as he stood and watched her weave her way around the tables to greet him. Her hair was still cut in a short bob, her nose was small and round, and her smile… It was infectious.

It wasn't until she threw her arms around his neck that he noticed she was also very much pregnant.

"Pansy," he finally said when she pulled back. "It's been… a while."

She giggled. "It has, hasn't it? How've you been?"

"I'm doing—"

"Pansy? Oh, there you are. You just ran off, and I didn't see where you went." A man stepped up behind Pansy, and Draco's face hardened.

"Sorry, darling. I saw Draco and just had to say hi. Draco, you remember Adrian, right?" Pansy asked, looking up adoringly at the other man.

Adrian Pucey. How could he forget? After all, it was _his _arse Draco saw in the bed he shared with Pansy all those years ago when the perfect life he thought he had was shattered in an instant.

"Of course," Draco said with a curt nod towards the man. "Pucey."

"Malfoy."

"Adrian and I are expecting!" Pansy blurted out excitedly, ignoring the tension between the two men.

Draco's gaze shifted over to her and down to her slightly protruding belly. "So I see. Congratulations."

"So, what brings you here?" Pansy said, sitting down at the table, leaving no choice but for the two men to sit as well.

"Well, actually..."

It was at that moment Hermione returned, carrying a pile of books and dropping them on the table with a _thud_. "Sorry I took so long. You wouldn't _believe _all the different kinds of books they have here! And—Oh. I didn't see that you were talking to someone. I can go if you'd rather—"

"No!" Draco blurted, snatching her wrist before she could walk off. He looked around as he cleared his throat. "I mean, no, that's alright. I was just catching up with some old friends, that's all. Pansy. Pucey, this is Hermione Granger. She has her own paediatric clinic in London near my building."

At that information, Pansy perked up. "Paediatric? Adrian, wasn't I just saying that we needed to find one soon? I know we still have a few months left, but I'd rather be safe than sorry," Pansy giggled.

Hermione gave Pansy a tight smile. "Well, whenever you have your little bundle of joy, please call my office and my assistant will book you an appointment." She turned her attention to Draco. "I think I'm done with the wedding registry for now. Unless there's anything you think we should add?"

Before Draco could answer, Pansy let out an excited gasp. "Draco Malfoy! You didn't tell me you were getting _married!"_

Draco groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. "She's my _client_, Pans."

"Oh…. I see. I just thought with the coffee and the books that—"

"Pansy, we really should get going. Mother is expecting us for dinner," Adrian interrupted.

"Oh! Yes, you're right, darling. Draco, it was _wonderful _to see you! I do hope we can properly catch up some time. And, Hermione, is it? It was a pleasure meeting you as well."

Giving air kisses to both Draco and Hermione, Pansy finally left the little bookshop, Adrian in tow. Hermione stood there, seemingly stunned into silence.

"Sorry about her," Draco said, scratching the back of his neck. "She's a bit… much."

Hermione snorted a laugh and finally sat down. "Who was she anyway? A friend of yours?"

Draco watched as she took a sip of her drink. "Yeah. Something like that."

He listened as Hermione talked about the books she found, though part of him was still thinking about his run-in with his ex.

"Hey," a small hand covered his, and his attention was back on Hermione who was looking at him with a worried frown. "You all right? You seem to have gone somewhere else for a moment."

He gave her a tight smile. "I'm fine. Running into Pansy just brought up old memories."

"Would you like to talk about it?" she offered.

_Yes_. "No, it's all right." He glanced at his watch. "We should probably get you back to the office so you can head home."

The drive to the office was quiet, with Draco lost in his thoughts about his past and Hermione staring out the window. When he pulled up next to her car, she thanked him for driving her around and told him how much fun she had.

"You know,"she said, biting her lip,"you can always… text me if you need to talk to someone. I won't mind."

Draco gave her a small smile and nodded once. "I'll be sure to remember that. Goodnight, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Draco," she breathed out softly.

He watched to make sure she got into her car safely and gave a wave as she drove off.

He was _not _going to text her, he told himself.

At least not about Pansy… Or his past.

It will be purely wedding related.

His phone pinged.

_**Hermione**__: Want to get drinks? My treat.  
__**Draco**__: Would love to, but I have a wedding tomorrow. Wouldn't be good for my reputation to show up hungover. Raincheck?  
__**Hermione**__: I suppose that's a good enough excuse. Raincheck it is. Have a good evening and don't let Pansy get to you. You were too good for her anyway. _

Bloody hell, he was falling in love with Hermione Granger.

* * *

_**Only one chapter... maybe two... until the story is complete! Hope you are all enjoying it so far! xoxoHufflepuffMommy**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hello lovies! My muse went on vacation without me for a weeks, but, she finally returned! I have not one, but TWO chapter updates for you today! I really hope you enjoy them as the next chapter will be the LAST chapter of this story! **_

* * *

Draco was glad he declined drinks with Hermione the previous night, seeing as how the wedding he was currently orchestrating was falling apart.

The flower arrangements were late, the cake nearly fell to the ground, the flower girl and ring bearer had been crying since they arrived, and the father of the bride was currently missing.

"Does anyone have eyes on the F.O.B.?" Draco asked into his headset. "We have five minutes until the ceremony starts."

With a resounding "No" from all his staff, Draco cursed under his breath as he looked everywhere all while trying to reassure the bride everything was going right on schedule.

"Found him, sir," came a voice in his ear. "Second floor, fifth bedroom on the right."

Draco grumbled under his breath. "Copy that. I'm heading up. Get the bridesmaids ready; it's go time in two minutes."

Making his way towards the stairs, he passed the priest officiating the wedding. "Where are you going, Father?"

"Oh, nature calls," the man said.

Draco steered the man towards the chapel. "Nature needs to call back, it's nearly time."

Adjusting his tie, he quickly walked up the steps and found the elder man in the room indicated, sitting on the floor against the wall as he wiped his nose with a handkerchief.

"My baby girl…. Married! Can't believe it. _Sniff_. It seemed like yesterday she was graduating nursery school. Did you know we didn't think we would have kids? And now she's… _Sniff._ She's all grown up and doesn't need her mum or dad anymore!"

"Sir," Draco said calmly, "I understand this is a big change for you, but she'll always need you. You're her father, and if there's one thing I've always been told, is that daughters will always need their fathers. How well rounded she is and what kind of partner she chose to spend her life with says a lot about how you raised her."

As he talked, Draco opened his suit jacket where he had lined the inside with extra pockets to store his emergency kit for occasions such as this. He gave the man some drops for his eyes as well as some cream, a mild sedative, a swig of mouthwash, and finally a spritz of cologne.

With the father of the bride all sorted out and with his daughter, Draco checked the monitors on the cameras to make sure there was nothing blocking the view of the ceremony.

"Blaise? There's a Dark Tower blocking the view in G10."

"Copy that."

Draco watched as Blaise used his charm to move the woman with the high updo from the back row to another seat—one that did _not _obstruct any cameras.

When the music began to play, he made his way out the double doors and lined up the bridesmaids and groomsmen, stopping quickly to fix a small tear in one of the dresses with a pin from a sewing kit he kept in another pocket.

When the fifth pair went down the aisle, the flowergirl and ring bearer were ready to charge ahead. Draco paused them, told them to count to ten, and then they could proceed.

Once the bride and her father were down the aisle, Draco finally took a breath.

The first part of the wedding was behind him and now it was time to get ready for the reception.

He took a five minute break to eat a protein bar and drink some water before making sure the caterers were prepped and all the tables were ready.

He knew other people wouldn't like being under pressure all the time to make sure everything was perfect, but he loved it—lived for it, even. It kept his mind sharp and adrenaline up and by the end of the day, he knew he did his job well.

As he watched the ceremony, he looked all around him and saw all that he accomplished. He saw the happy faces and _that _was what he needed to keep his focus on: his job, not some girl who was unavailable to him.

With his mind set, he got back to work.

* * *

The summer months seemed to fly for Draco, as he was busy with a wedding or two every week. Once the weather cooled and fall started, the weddings slowed down a little but not by much.

Over the course of four months, Draco joined Hermione as she tasted cakes, arranged flowers, chose caterers along with the menu, and set up appointments for the bridesmaids to try on dresses and groomsmen to get fitted for their tuxes. While he enjoyed the one-on-one time with Hermione, he still wondered why Ron was having Draco go in his stead. Hermione explained that he picked up extra shifts at work to help pay for the wedding. While they had saved up enough, the groom was still worried about going over budget.

Each time they hung out, Draco felt it was so easy to talk to Hermione, and he found himself falling for her more and more, no matter how much he told himself he needed to focus on his job.

On a rare, free-from-responsibilities Saturday, Draco found himself lounging around his flat, still in his pyjama bottoms and a well-worn jumper from his private school. It was well past noon and he was currently sitting on his sofa with a cuppa. He opened the newspaper for the first time in weeks and he started with the front page articles before skipping through the pages until he reached the _Announcements_ section—this was his favourite page as most of his soon-to-be clients were featured.

As he opened the section, he saw that Pansy had taken up nearly a quarter of the page with a picture of herself, Adrian, and their new baby, a girl named Poppy.

Many emotions coursed through him as he read the article. He was happy for them, of course, but part of him wondered _what-if?_…

What if they had gone to couples counseling, as Pansy requested?

What if he had put Pansy before his career?

What if Pansy hadn't cheated on him?

What if he hadn't let her go, but fought for her instead?

Would they have been happily married by now?

Would it have been _him _in that picture with Pansy announcing their child together?

Tossing the paper to the side, Draco pinched the bridge of his nose.

He needed to get out of his flat or else he knew he would spiral into a depressive state.

Eyeing his phone, he nearly reached for it to text Hermione, but thought better of it. He knew she wouldn't mind hearing about his woes or getting drinks with him—they still had a raincheck to make good on—but he decided he wouldn't subject her to his misery.

Changing into a pair of dark jeans, he kept his jumper on as he made his way to the pub, hoping that some whisky and greasy food would help him feel better.

* * *

The pub was busier than usual for a Saturday evening, and Draco knew it would only get worse considering it was Live Music Night. Knowing he should just go to a different pub, he grumbled to himself as he made his way to the bar where he signal the barkeep, Tom.

"Your usual, Mr. Malfoy?" Tom asked above the noise.

"Yes, thanks, Tom."

"Go and find yourself a seat, I'll get your drink to ya in a mo'," the old man said.

Draco nodded his thanks and weaved around the tables, trying to find one that wasn't occupied.

"Well, if it isn't Draco Malfoy," said a chipper voice behind him.

Turning his head, he came face to face with Ginny, who was currently giving him a wide grin while holding two margaritas. "Looking for a place to sit?" she asked.

Draco nodded and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, though there doesn't seem to be any available."

"You're in luck then! We have a spot at our table. Come on," she said, turning around to lead him to his seat.

He knew he'd find Hermione before he saw her, and he wasn't sure if he was thankful or disappointed that Ron wasn't there as well.

"Look who I found!" Ginny said as she handed Hermione one of the margaritas.

"Draco!" Hermione said cheerily and Draco could tell that this wasn't her first drink of the night. "What are you doing here?"

Draco took a seat across from her, putting Ginny between them at the small square table. "Just enjoying a day off, you?" he asked.

"We just got off of work about an hour ago and we decided to go for drinks before heading home," Hermione said before taking a sip of her drink.

"I see. Why don't I order us a round of chips to share?" Draco suggested.

"Oh, chips sound great!" Hermione said. "I haven't had dinner yet."

When Tom bustled over with Draco's drink—a tumbler of whisky on the rocks—Draco also ordered a basket of chips as well as burgers and wings.

"He's such a gentleman," Hermione gushed to Ginny in a staged whisper. "Look at him, making sure we're eating food along with our drinks. What a nice guy."

Draco gave an indifferent shrug. "I haven't eaten yet either. Might as well feed you ladies as well."

Hermione smiled, and Draco could have sworn she looked at him wistfully. Suddenly, the moment was over and she announced, "I need to use the loo! Be right back."

Ginny chuckled as she watched her friend make her way to the toilets.

"So," Draco said, stretching out the word a bit as he swirled the contents of his tumbler, "I've been wondering something."

Ginny raised a brow. "And that would be?"

"Why would you send me to the park to look for Hermione, knowing well enough that she's not only engaged but to your _brother_," Draco said, giving the redhead a pointed look.

Ginny gave him a sheepish look. "Oh… that."

"Do you not want Hermione to marry your brother?" he asked.

"I do, it's just…" She blew out a breath, causing some loose strands of her hair to fly away from her face. "Look, Hermione will always be like a sister to me. She's been my best friend since I was ten, and I was ecstatic when she and Ron finally started dating."

Draco quirked a brow then took a sip of his whisky. "And now?"

Ginny tapped the side of her glass with a fingernail. "I feel like they're together more out of convenience than love. There's no fire between them, no spark. They're just together because it's been so long that they feel they have to be."

"So you were, what? Hoping if you sent me along after her that she'd finally come to this realization on her own and cancel the wedding?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, not because of you specifically, but yes," she said truthfully.

Draco shook his head. "I'm not about to go ruining a relationship because you think they're just getting married out of convenience. They're grown adults—they should be able to realize this on their own without interference."

"But they haven't yet and the wedding is getting closer. Ginny took a sip of her drink. "I just don't want them to regret their decision, that's all."

"Unfortunately, some people have to learn their lesson the hard way." Draco watched as Hermione made her way back to the table. "I know I have a time or two," he murmured.

They ate their burgers, wings, and crisps, all while drinking their preferred beverages. Hermione had stopped and switched to a fizzy drink about an hour later, knowing Ginny would probably be too pissed to get home on her own. Draco continued knocking back his whisky, the burn of the alcohol long gone after having so many.

The more he drank, the more his mood drifted to somber and pensive, and he became quiet, while the two girls chatted.

Hermione seemed to have noticed his switch, so when it came time to go home she offered him a ride as well, making sure to drop Ginny off first.

When it was just the two of them in her small car, Draco looked out the window as Hermione drove along the streets, the alcohol in her system long gone.

"Draco…"

"Hm?" he asked, turning his head to look at her blearily, the haze of the alcohol still in his system.

"Are you all right? You seemed to be upset about something, but I didn't want to ask in front of Ginny."

Draco let out a lingering sigh, staring back out of the window. It took another few minutes before he finally spoke. "Pansy had her baby; there was a huge announcement in the paper."

Hermione nodded. "I saw…"

"It's just not fucking fair," he said, clenching both of his hands into fists on his lap. "_She's_ the one who cheated on me—all because I chose to keep working, instead of giving her all my attention all hours of the day—and yet, she still gets the guy and a baby as well. Meanwhile, I'm still alone and probably will be for the foreseeable future."

"Don't say that," Hermione said. "Any woman would be lucky to be with you. You just haven't found her yet."

His gaze turned to her, and he swore she gulped audibly. "I thought I found someone, but it turned out she was a client of mine and engaged to someone else."

"Draco—" she said softly, pulling into the parking lot for his condo, but he cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"Don't. It's fine. It's my problem, not yours." He opened the door on his side, giving her a nod. "Thanks for the ride home. I'll see you at our next meeting."

If she was about to say something, Draco never heard as he shut the car door and walked towards his home.

Discarding his jacket and keys on the dining table, Draco went into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of whisky from the top shelf and pouring himself two finger-fulls in a tumbler.

A knock on his door kept him pouring another, and he grumbled about who could be there at nearly midnight.

Looking through the peephole, he momentarily froze as he saw who was on the other side. He wrenched the door open, causing Hermione to squeak in surprise at the suddenness.

"I think I'm making a mistake marrying Ron," she blurted out.

* * *

_**Dun Dun Duuuun! **_  
_**Next chapter will be up soon, I promise! **_


	6. Chapter 6

_**This is! The final chapter! It's rather short but I believe it wraps things up quite nicely.**_

* * *

Draco stared at the woman across from him as she wrung her fingers, clearly trying to figure out what to say.

"I have feelings for you," she finally stated, not meeting his eyes. "And I know I shouldn't, because I love Ron, I really do, but when I'm with you it feels… different." She looked at him then and he saw the worry, the curiosity, and the hopefulness behind her eyes. "I know you feel it too."

Draco shook his head, looking away from her. "It doesn't matter how I feel. Ron's a good bloke and I have too much respect for him to let anything happen between us."

"But—"

"I think you need to go home, Hermione. Go home and think about what you really want."

He shut the door slowly and waited until he heard her footsteps walk away before letting out a shuddering breath. He went to his kitchen once more, finally throwing back the second tumbler of whiskey he had poured himself.

He didn't know if he should be patting himself on the back or kicking his own arse about turning Hermione away now that she finally admitted having feelings for him.

And the truth was he had feelings for her, too. He glanced at the calendar and realized there was just a little over two weeks until the wedding. Maybe he should just give them over to Blaise, avoid Hermione all together. Then, maybe, he'd finally be able to move on. Perhaps even let his mother set him up again, or maybe he could attempt things with Astoria once his head was clear.

With determination to take some time to focus on himself, Draco went off to bed, making a mental note to talked to Blaise about taking over the Weasley-Granger wedding.

* * *

"I don't understand," Blaise said as Draco spoke to him the following day. "Why do you want to pass off a client to me now? There are only a few weeks left."

"It's complicated," Draco grumbled under his breath. He had yet to tell him of Hermione's declaration of feelings and seeing as how Blaise's clients just pulled up, now wasn't the time to delve into the story just yet.

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Let me look at my schedule more closely later today."

Draco's shoulders nearly sagged in relief. "Thanks, mate. Pints after work?"

With a nod, Blaise turned his attention to his clients, greeting them and escorting them to his office.

Later that day, Draco was busy going over details for another client when there was a knock on his office door.

Looking up, he saw Ron standing there.

"Hello, Ron," Draco said with a nod in greeting. He stood and walked over to shake the man's hand, as he did with all of his clients when they stopped by. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Ron ran a hand through his hair and blew out a sigh. "I wanted to ask you something…"

Dread pooled in Draco's stomach. Did Hermione tell Ron she had feelings for him?

"Oh? What is it?" he asked calmly.

"It's Hermione," Ron said. "She's been acting, I dunno, different I suppose."

"How so?" Draco asked, trying to hide the fact that his heart felt like it was trying to beat its way out of his chest.

"She just seems distant. Whenever I try to talk to her about the wedding, she changes the subject. I'm starting to wonder if she's changing her mind—"

"I'm sure that's not it," Draco said automatically.

"I'm starting to wonder if I'm changing my mind as well," Ron said, his ears turning pink at the admission.

Well… Draco certainly wasn't expecting _that_.

"Oh," the blond managed to say. "Have you spoken to Hermione about it?"

Ron shook his head. "How can I? We've always talked about getting married and starting a family. I can't take that away from her. My brother, George, reckons I'm just having cold feet."

Draco nodded in agreement. "It could be; a lot of my clients go through it."

"Yeah?" Ron asked, somewhat hopeful. "Do they still end up getting married? Or do they go their separate ways?"

"Ninety-nine percent of the time, they go through with the wedding and are still together for years to come."

"And the other one percent?" Ron asked.

"Well, there was one or two who cancelled, or in the very rare instance, left at the altar," Ron paled slightly, "but those are very rare instances. And if I know Hermione, she wouldn't do that to you. She loves you too much."

"I suppose you're right," Ron said, chuckling. "Must just be nerves."

"I'll tell you what I say to all my questioning clients: Think on it. If you're still feeling the same in a few days, talk to her and make a decision together."

* * *

When Draco hadn't heard from Ron or Hermione over the next couple of days, he assumed that the two were still going through the wedding. He worked out his schedule with Blaise—as well as filling his friend in on what had happened—and while he didn't mind finalising the details, he found that he couldn't bring himself to attend the actual wedding ceremony.

During the last meeting he had with the pair, he informed them that something came up and he wouldn't be able to be there for the wedding. He reassured them that Blaise was caught up to speed on all the details, and he would be an excellent replacement.

Draco had taken a chance to look at Hermione, and he saw that she was fighting back tears but nodded at him, saying that she understood. Ron, who was oblivious to Hermione's emotions, had shaken Draco's hand and thanked him for all the work he did over the last few months before taking Hermione's hand and leading her out of the office.

* * *

Call it self preservation or call it cowardice, but Draco couldn't watch the woman he was falling in love with marry another bloke. So, with Blaise in his stead, Draco took a rare day off. He had originally planned on staying in and watching the telly to get his mind off Hermione. When he got bored, he set out to a local eatery for some fish and crisps before taking a walk, hands stuffed in his pockets as his feet led him wherever they wanted. Even though it was a crisp December evening, Draco didn't care, and he wasn't surprised when he found himself at a park—the same one he met Hermione at many months ago. He saw that they were starting up another movie, so in a last-minute decision he purchased a bag of M&Ms from the vendor and went over to the same spot as before. As he leaned against the tree, the projector started the film, and he let his mind get lost in the story as he picked out red candies from the bag.

His cell buzzed in his pocket and a quick glance told him it was Blaise. Shaking his head, he sent his friend to voicemail; he'd get the update on the wedding tomorrow. Tonight, he just wanted to forget all about—

"Draco?"

His heart hammered in his chest at the unmistakable voice, and Draco turned to look at the woman next to him.

Hermione gave a small wave and a hesitant smile. "Hi…" she said quietly before leaning against the tree next to him. She eyed the candy in his hand and raised a brow. "Why are you only eating the red ones? I thought you said they all taste the same;"

Draco blinked a few times before smirking and huffing out a chuckle. "Someone once told me that the red ones taste better. It must have stuck with me."

Hermione laughed softly as she plucked a candy from his palm and popped it into her mouth before turning her attention to the movie. He watched her for a moment before asking, "Hermione, what are you doing here? Where's Ron?"

The corners of her lips twitched. "On his way to the airport, I suppose. We didn't want the tickets to Australia to go to waste after he spent so much on them."

Draco frowned. "I don't understand… Shouldn't you be going on your honeymoon _with_ him?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, seeing as we didn't get married. He's taking his mum on a much-needed vacation instead."

It took a full ten seconds for Draco's brain to catch up with what she said. "You… You didn't get married?" he asked.

Once again Hermione shook her head, her curly hair brushing against her shoulders. "No. Ron and I… It seemed we both came to the same conclusion. We love each other, yes, but we've only ever loved _each_ _other_. We never gave ourselves the opportunity to do things on our own, to become our own person without the other. We started dating in high school and have never stopped. Getting married was the next logical step, but when we really thought about it, we realized we were getting married to make everyone else happy... Not us."

His eyes searched hers, her breath visible in the chilly air as she continued. "We want different things in life. He wants to have kids right away; I want to continue my work and _eventually_ have kids a few years from now. He wants to see every football game he can attend, while I want to travel and visit famous libraries around the world. I want to experience new things with new people, so does he. There was a lot we realised five minutes before the wedding started, but it came down to this: we wanted to find our own lives. We'll always be friends, but we've become more like roommates than a couple and that's not what we want."

Draco listened as she spoke and swallowed thickly. "And what is it that _you_ want?"

Hermione bit her lip as she looked shyly up at him. "To be honest? I'd like to dance with you, if that's all right?"

She asked at the perfect time, just as a slow ballad played in the background of the movie. Draco extended his hand to her, and she smiled in relief as she took it. He led her through the same dance they did before, twirling and dipping her until she was nearly breathless with laughter.

Her cheeks and nose were pink from the cold, and he was sure his were as well but he couldn't stop himself from smiling down at her.

Draco hesitated for a moment before dipping down to kiss her, but Hermione surged on her toes and pressed her lips to his.

It felt like magic, kissing her.

A warmth radiated from his toes to the top of his head, and when they broke apart, their heads resting against each other's, he asked, "Now what?"

She smiled up at him and kissed him once more. "Anything we want."

~The End~

* * *

_**Thank you all for reading this story! I greatly appreciate each and every one of you!**_  
_**Major kudos and thanks to NuclearNik who has been my rock-star beta! Make sure to follow me as I have plans to start posting another WIP I've been working on for a while now. **_

_**Until next time!**_  
_**xoxo HufflepuffMommy**_


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